Once upon a time, there was a young fellow named Bob who was certifiably wacko because he loved to jump out of airplanes - - and those planes weren't sitting on the ground. He pursued this insanity from July 1961 until some time in the 1990's. After a while, ol' Bob got older, a little wiser, gained a pilot's license and contented himself just flying the planeloads of sky-divers. Lots of good flying practice, and somebody else was paying for the gas. Many stories for another time. A couple are rather gripping......

One day not so long ago, between flights, he was sitting at a picnic table on the drop zone when a club member drove up. Mike C. was a young, good-looking chap - always looking for a bit of fun. "Hey Bob, come here," he chirped. "'Got something to show you." So, Bob walked over, peered into the back seat of the car. "These are the ultimate 'chick magnets'" crowed Mike. In a box on the back seat were three golden retriever puppies just at the roly-poly maximum cuteness stage. "Watch this," he grinned.

Mike hollered to Mary G., one of the young female members of the jump club, and she sauntered over. "OK Mike, what are you up to this time?" She stuck her head into the window, let out a combination of shriek and giggle (shriggle?) and ran back into the clubhouse. Out came several of the girls (about 1/3 of the club members were female. They can sky dive just as skillfully as the guys). In moments, the girls and puppies were rolling happily in the grass. Mike was notably absent from the "rolling in the grass part."

He looked at Bob a bit ruefully. "This doesn't work so well for me here. They already know me," he said. "But you should see me work the folks lounging on the waterfront at Bradford Beach!"

Bob sort of confirmed the the principle by walking Ben and Bailey in most public places, parks, downtown Hartford; almost any place. He doesn't get far between stops for petting and giggles - and these furkids aren't even puppies! Of course - they get the attention far more than ol' Bob does.

Might the ultimate weapon in this game be twin infants and two golden puppies in a stroller! What a concept!